Gladiator's Bane
by Rogillian
Summary: A Mage Knights fic.


A/N: It's edited this time!

The slightly green tinted trolls blood contrasted thickly with the humans red. The human had once been a Knights Immortal Berserker. The mans blade had caught the troll off guard, slicing his shoulder roughly. The arena in which they stood was enormous. Hundreds of thousands of screaming fans, some cheering for the human, most for the troll, lined the interior walls of the structure. The berserker struck quick, and the troll Easily dodged it. He was much too nimble for his stature.   
  
Slowly, the berserker slumped to the ground as the mace part of the Trolls Axe/Hammer struck his ribs, shattering all of them with ease. The Berserkers breathing stopped, he died laying face first in the dirt.   
  
The Troll merely Glanced up at the crowd, who were now All cheering for the green behemoth, and waved to them, Exiting the arena.  
  
He didn't like the Crowds. He didn't like killing, it was a way of life. He was brought here years ago, made to kill for others amusement. His list was long, From cell rivals, to near kin. He felt no remorse for killing, because those victims knew the rule, kill or be killed. The Kill was nothing to him now.   
  
He made his way back to the bunk slowly. Escape was futile. All cellmates were told about the surrounding complex. Golems guarded every exit to the Arena and, surrounding the Place, was a labyrinth that stretched as far as the eye could see. Soaring Dragonfly Gunners and Crossbowmen brought in audience members and new shipments, all import and exports. Tomorrow is new shipment day. The Schedule has him facing a new troll chieftain coming in that day. The Part he was worried about was that on the paper, it said there would be Wild monsters released to attack the combatants as they fought....  


The Chieftain, who had become known to most As Larzuk, Had spent half the night wondering what types of monsters would be Let loose upon the combatants the next day. He'd seen things like this, Sometimes they let hordes of imps, and others there were screeching terrors. The very worst thing he'd seen, was a Ki Devil set upon the two.   
  
Nothing, he thought to himself.  
  
He saw Geared up Atlantian warriors moving towards the huge landing pad before he heard the motorized wings of the Mechanical Dragonflies. The new Shipment was here.  
  
He blinked as he saw the Tremendous Troll Step from the Cage that trailed a lead of Six Mechanical Carriers. The Brute was huge, Standing Easily ten feet tall, and he was large enough to lift one of the Incendiary Golems over his head, Which, by the way, he tried to do. As soon as his Dirty, grubby hand touched the polish medal of the golem, Whips and Batons rang out, causing bruises all over his body, quickly followed by what was known as the Disciplinary mace.   
  
It was obviously not too bright. He got weaker and weaker every time they hit him, which was a lot, because he tried to get away more than enough times to bring down any Normal troll. He was making Larzuks Job for tomorrow that much easier.  
  
Larzuk was summoned to the arena without warning. He had only enough time to grab his Bludgeoning axe and a small shield to strap around his back.  
  
Quickly he moved towards the arena Gate, and as it opened he saw his huge opponent, bent over slightly, standing in the middle of the "Playing field." The weapon Larzuk held was easily big enough to crush most living things. Most.  
  
Larzuk timidly waited for the Gates to open, allowing the flocks of Demonic Imps, or ear shattering Terrors, But instead, the gong rang, signaling the beginning of the round.   
  
His opponent stood there dazed, not understanding the brassy tone of the gong, so Larzuk made the First move, charging the troll and swinging his axe down hard towards his head.  
  
The other troll Grabbed the Blunt part of the weapon, stopping the attack dead. Larzuk tried furiously to pull his weapon free of the others grasp, not seeing the look of terror on the other trolls face as the Crypt worm erupted from the ground behind Larzuk. Larzuk didn't even see it, he pulled and pulled at his weapon, finally, when he yanked it free from his adversary, he Pulled it over his head to give another attack, instead allowing the Axe part to rip deeply into the Cryptworm's tough hide.  
  
The purple colored blood covered the weapon. Now Larzuk had to pull his blade free of the Crypt worms Corpse. As he tried, the other troll took his chance. A flip of his wrist brought the dagger into his palm, and he let his hand shoot forward, impaling the point into Larzuks Waist area. Larzuk Cried in pain, Slinging the axe Free and bringing down the blunt side so hard onto the other trolls arm, he heard the snapping of bones, and his enemy dropped to the ground.  
  
Larzuk spun as he heard the gate behind him opening slowly.   
  
"Skeletons!" he thought "This'll be easy"  
  
Soon he changed his mind. They had a battle plan. Something he had never seen before happened. The Front line of skeletal minions dropped to their knees as Archers rang up, letting their arrows Rip the sky, flying towards their intended target. Larzuk. Quickly Larzuk unstrapped the small shield, covering as much of the area where the arrows would hit as he could.   
  
As the last arrow hit, Larzuk looked up just in time to see a Skeleton Striking down at him with a rather large spear. Larzuk swung his shield at the Skeleton, Ramming the creature into submission. soon he swung his Blunt-axe to his front side, Holding it in his left hand, and the shield in his right.  
  
The crowd was amazed. this troll was carrying his weapon like it was nothing, and the thing had to be bigger than two or Three Atlantian Altem Guardsmen!  
  
Larzuk Began to cut down the skeletal Foes easily with the blunt side of the weapon. leaving nothing more than bone shards. As one of the few Skeletons dropped, he heard the clanking of armor, as if an organized rank was approaching through the gateway where the skeletons had appeared. He also heard a loud crash against the gate beside it, as well as the scraping of feet along the ground.  
  
"Armored Skeletons?" Larzuk thought "I have never seen anything like this! Skeletons are mindless, how have they mastered The art of archery and armor-craft? Oh well, this would be one more thing to hack down, and he charged into the ranks of his new enemies.  
  
Slowly, the other troll combatant began to sit up. His arm had been broken, and many of the bones were obviously shattered. The weapon was brought down Hard on his left shoulder.   
  
Slowly, at the thought of his enemy, he began to search for his opponent. the sight of him busy with the skeletons was a brightening sight. No longer able to carry his rather large, extremely heavy hammer with one hand, The troll looked to the ground. He bent over slowly, picking up one of the discarded arrows that had missed the other troll. He began to creep towards his enemy. A loud *clink* from behind stopped him in his tracks. The troll turned around just in time to have the Armored Skeletons halberd buried in his chest. He fell there, staring up at the spectators of today's event.   
  
Larzuk mowed down Skeleton after skeleton. The blunt side of his weapon heaved right through the armor they wore, but he did have to put a little more effort into it.   
  
All Skeletons had been killed or where now retreating back into the gate in which they had entered.  
  
Now, Larzuk waited for the gong. The signal of the end of the match. He saw his opponent's lifeless stare, and knew he was dead. Instead of the gong, Larzuk heard the rivets and Cranks of the gate in which he heard the commotion behind earlier begin to rise.   
  
The announcer Said what was behind the Gate before Larzuk actually saw it, and as he heard the words, all hope of life left him, and an urge to flee so strong came over him, he wanted to drop his weapon and run.  
  
The announcer told the crowd, "And now, the deadliest of all of Jer-Rune Magus's Pets, THE GATE LORD!"  
  
The Demonic Beast Stepped from the dark. Its eyes flashed a shade of crimson so bright, it illuminated the room in which he stood before. The wings of the Demon expanded, and immediately bore it into the air.  
  
The Gate Lord branded his Unholy Scimitar Evilly, and glared down at Larzuk. It made the first, and last move. It dove down at him, driving the diamond sharp blade straight through Larzuks Chest. Larzuk was hit.  
  
The pain ripped through Larzuk, searing all over his body. No, he can't die like this. This was no way for a champion to die!  
  
The Gate lord was hovering before the Crowd, Gloating in some demonic tongue about his swift victory over the troll. Soon, the eyes rolled back to the back of its head, and the forked tongue lolled out the side of its mouth. The Gate lord fell to the ground, causing the ground around the landing zone to erupt with waves of energy.  
  
Larzuk stood there, barely. It took a lot out of him to accomplish that. He had pulled the dagger the other troll had left in his waist out, and sent it into the back of the Gate-Lords head. soon, Larzuk fell to his knees, then he fell onto his face.   
  
His blood marked the sand in that spot. Many say, that no matter how much sand that spot is covered with, the blood seeps into the topsoil, always visible, always there.  
  
Everything that entered the arena that day, perished, both the Demon-lord itself, and a troll whose Family and friends had fallen before him. Larzuk died that day, in the spot in wish he slew the Gate Lord he let himself fall. He was glad to die. He had killed many friends, many Enemies. He had killed too many. Now he would lay out to rest. It was also said, as they cleared his body form the field, Larzuks Face was formed into a deep, hearty smile.  
  
Everything died, but Magus Jer-Rune was happy, because the Crowd still cheered.  



End file.
